Practice Makes Permanent (But Only If You’re Practicing the Right Way)

We’ve all heard the phrase “Practice makes perfect.” But if you’ve ever had to unlearn a bad habit, you’ll know the truth:

Practice makes permanent. Not perfect. Just automatic.

That’s the beauty, and danger, of repetition. From a behavioral science perspective, the brain doesn’t care whether you’re doing it well. It only cares that you’re doing it often.

Neuroscientist Lara Boyd reminds us:

“The more you use a brain circuit, the stronger it gets. The less you use it, the more it fades.”

So if you’re practicing a shortcut, a script, or a mindset that’s slightly off? You’re embedding it. Cementing it. Locking it in. Which is why I often say:

Don’t practice until you get it right. Practice until you can’t get it wrong.

So what does smart practice actually look like?

1. Repetition Without Reflection Is Risky

Just doing something over and over won’t make you better, it’ll make you faster at doing it the same way.

💡 How to Reflect While You Practice:

• Set a micro-goal before each repetition. Instead of “practice presenting,” try “practice pausing after each key message.”

• Use a feedback loop. Record yourself, get peer review, or ask a mentor, “What did you notice?” Not “Was that okay?” but “What stood out?”

• Post-practice debrief: Ask yourself:

  • What did I do well?

  • What felt off?

  • What will I tweak next time?

🧠 This is deliberate practice in action, what Anders Ericsson described as “effortful attention and feedback.”

2. Habits Are Sticky, Even the Sloppy Ones

The brain is an efficiency machine designed to automate behavior patterns. It doesn't care if you’re building skill or reinforcing error, it just saves the steps.

💡 How to Build the Right Habit Loops:

• Isolate the “keystone move.” Instead of practicing an entire sales call, focus on the moment you transition from rapport to pitch. Nail that.

• Chunk complex actions. Break them down. Practice the close, not the whole conversation. Practice the question, not the whole coaching session.

• Use implementation intentions: “If I notice myself talking more than 60 seconds, then I pause and ask a question.”

🔄 Automation is only useful if what you’re automating is high quality.

3. Environment Shapes Permanence

Context matters. We perform how we practice. The closer your practice mirrors the real environment, the more durable your skill becomes.

💡 How to Rehearse in Real Conditions:

• Create stress simulation. Practice tough conversations after a long day. Role-play with someone who challenges you. Don’t rehearse in comfort if you’ll perform in pressure.

• Match the setting. If you’re prepping for a boardroom pitch, stand up and present in a suit—not in your PJs on Zoom.

• Anchor with physical cues. Use the same notebook, gestures, or tone you plan to use when it counts. These cues help recall under pressure.

🎯 In behavioral science, this is called state-dependent learning, your recall improves when the practice and performance conditions match.

4. Emotion Anchors Memory

We remember what we feel. Emotional salience strengthens encoding. If your practice is dry, disconnected, or dull, it won't stick.

💡 How to Inject Emotion Into Practice:

• Tie it to purpose. Remind yourself (or your team): Why does this skill matter? Who does it help? What’s at stake?

• Celebrate small wins. Acknowledge moments of progress, even tiny ones. This lights up reward circuits, reinforcing motivation.

• Reflect on struggle. After a tough practice, ask, “What did I learn about myself?” Use emotion to deepen awareness, not just performance.

🔥 Purposeful emotion + purposeful practice = lasting learning.

Final Thought

The real goal of practice isn’t performance. It’s permanence.

You’re not practicing to have a “good day.” You’re practicing so that when pressure, fatigue, or emotion hits, you still perform at your best.

So stop chasing perfect. Instead:

Practice until you can’t get it wrong.

Because that’s how you Flourish Forward, Together.